Ousted Ben & Jerry’s Chairwoman Says Magnum Aimed to “Smear” Her

The ousted chairwoman of Ben & Jerry’s has accused the company that owns the brand of threatening to launch a public smear campaign against her, BBC News reported.

Mittal said she received a letter informing her she had been removed. (Photo: Paul K. Feyerabend Foundation)

Anuradha Mittal, who chaired Ben & Jerry’s independent board for seven years, told the BBC that Magnum had threatened to publish “defamatory statements” about her if she did not step down.

The allegation comes amid an increasingly bitter dispute between the Vermont-based activist ice cream maker and its owner over the independence of the board and its ability to pursue social justice initiatives.

Magnum said it believed Mittal “no longer met the criteria to serve” on the board, following an investigation conducted by external advisers.

On Monday, the company outlined changes to the board’s structure, including a nine-year term limit for members.

As a result, Mittal — who said she received a letter informing her she had been removed — and two other board members will be required to step down.

Magnum also said an audit of the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation, the brand’s charitable arm, had identified “a series of material deficiencies in financial controls, governance and other compliance policies, including conflicts of interest.”